April 2010 – Science Of Drink

The Bramble Cocktail was created by famous english bartender Richard “Dick” Bradsell in the mid 1980s. This cocktail is very popular in England. This modern cocktail has strong classic base. The original version include gin (preferable plymouth), lemon juice, sugar syrup and creme de mure (blackberry liqueur).

The Bramble

45 ml Plymouth gin
20 ml fresh lemon juice
15 ml simple syrup
20 ml creme de mure (blackberry liqueur)
Build gin, juice and syrup over crushed ice in a olf-fashioned glass. Stir, the pour over liqueur. Garnish with a lemon slice and two raspberries.

The Bramble Cocktail is very interesting so sweet but refreshing drink with great blackberry and gin palate. It has very smooth taste. It is admirable cocktail.

I try the Bramble Cocktail with London dry gin too. This version of the Bramble Cocktail has bright and a bit strong taste with very pleasant berry and herbal palate.

As the Difford`s Guide specify, the Blue Lagoon Cocktail was created by Andy MacElhone (son of legendary Harry MacElhone – the creator of White Lady, Monkey Gland and Side-car) at Harry’s New York Bar, Paris, France in 1972. Some sources specify another date of birth for this cocktail – a 1960s, when blue curacao liqueur was launched at european market by BOLS.

Common recipe for Blue Lagoon Cocktail specify vodka (as main alkohol), blue curacao liqueur (as sweetener) and lemonade (as deluent). The most abstruse component of this cocktail is lemonade, actually. I have three ways to avoid this difficulty.

1. Using of the home-made Lemonade.

It is more correct solution. You may cook your own lemonade in such way (recipe from Cocktails and Mixed Drinks by Anthony Hogg).

Lemonade, home-made. Wash three big lemons, cut each in half and squeeze the juice. Pare off the rinds, putting them in a basin with 150 g sugar. Add 850 ml boiling water, cover and leave until cold, stirring occasionally. Then strain into a jug, add the lemon juice and chill. (I recommend to remove the white mesocarp of lemon skin before hot-water infusion. I prefer to add some soda in this concentrate before using).

Blue Lagoon

45 ml vodka
20 ml blue curacao liqueur
home-made lemonade
Build. Collins glass. Garnish with orange slice and maraschino cherry.

The Blue Lagoon Cocktail with home-made lemonade is great summer drink with interesting citrus sour-sweet taste with some bitternes of lemon peel essential oil in the palate. This is admirable drink.

2. Using different recipe.

This recipe of the Blue Lagoon Cocktail was found in the The Classic Bar & Cocktail Book by Jonathan Goodall.

Blue Lagoon

45 ml vodka
30 ml blue curacao liqueur
15 ml fresh lemon juice
soda water
Build over ice in a large goblet. Garnish with blue maraschino cherry.

This version of the Blue Lagoon Cocktail has refreshing sour-sweet and tart taste with light citrus palate. You may use some simple syrup for best sweet and sour balance in this drink.

3. Using of lemon-lime soda.

One of my favotite version of the Blue Lagoon Cocktail is drink with lemon-lime soda. This cocktail is very popular among my guests. I think it is best choice for cocktail-neophite.

Blue Lagoon

45 ml vodka
20 ml blue curacao liqueur
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
lemon-lime soda
Build. Collins glass. Garnish with orange slice and maraschino cherry.

This version of the Blue Lagoon Cocktail has so sweet and citrus taste. This drink also has great show. It is admirable drink for hot summer days, beach party or club.